Homemade Oatmeal Packets

Basic ingredients:

1/3 cup Oats
Pinch of salt
Sweetener of choice
3/4 cup water, milk, almond milk, etc.
Snack-sized ziploc bag + sharpie for labeling

The type of oats will determine the cooking time in the microwave. For quick oats, 2 minutes should be plenty. Follow the instructions on the container of oats that you buy.
Make sure the container you use can hold about twice the capacity needed for the ingredients - it will bubble up in the microwave and possibly overflow so watch it carefully.

FLAVOR VARIATIONS

Apple Cinnamon
1/3 cup oats
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
chopped freeze dried apples


Peanut Butter Banana
1/3 cup oats
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 Tbsp PB2 powdered peanut butter
~5 slices freeze dried banana


Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana
1/3 cup oats
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp PB2 chocolate powdered peanut butter
1 tsp cocoa powder (optional - the chocolate PB2 is not very chocolate-y)
~5 slices freeze dried banana


White Chocolate Strawberry
1/3 cup oats
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp light brown sugar
~1 Tbsp white chocolate chips
small handful freeze dried strawberries


Chocolate Strawberry
1/3 cup oats
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp light brown sugar
2 tsp cocoa powder
small handful freeze dried strawberries


Other flavor ideas (not yet tried):
Strawberry Banana
Maple Walnut (using maple sugar)
Blueberry Muffin (freeze dried blueberries, brown sugar, cinnamon, nuts?)
Pineapple Coconut
Chocolate Raspberry
White Chocolate Raspberry
Strawberries (or other fruit) and Cream (with powdered creamer, or just pour some half and half on top after cooking)

Peanut Butter Pie

Recipe from:

http://parade.condenast.com/200063/donnaelick/an-irresistible-no-bake-pie-for-your-halloween-candy-overstock/

(Serves 12)
INGREDIENTS:

24 whole chocolate sandwich cookies (I used regular Oreos)
~40 mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, (wrappers removed, divided)
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened
1¾ cups powdered sugar, divided
1 (16.3-oz) jar peanut butter, (approximately 1¾ cups) (I used creamy but original recipe called for crunchy)
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped (OPTIONAL - I didn't use)
2 oz milk chocolate, broken into pieces

DIRECTIONS:

In a tall bowl whip heavy cream with an electric mixer until you can start to see a defined trail through the cream. Add vanilla and slowly add ¾ cup powdered sugar. Whip until stiff peaks form. (In other words when you turn off the blender and lift the beaters out of the cream, the cream stand up on the end of the beater). Place in the refrigerator while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

In a food processor combine cookies and 20 peanut butter cups. Pulse until your mixture is crumbs. Slowly pour butter in through the feed tube. Pulse until combined and crumbs are moistened.

Pour crumbs into a 9” pie plate and press mixture on the bottom and around the sides to form pie crust. I started by pressing with clean hands, but found that using a spoon worked best. Place in the freezer while you prepare the filling.

To prepare the filling: Combine softened cream cheese and 1 cup powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add peanut butter. Beat until well combined. Fold in ½ of the whipped cream until it is completely incorporated. Pour into chilled pie crust. Smooth with a spatula. Pour remaining whipped cream over top. Place in the refrigerator while you prepare toppings.

Place the milk chocolate in a microwave safe mixing bowl. Heat for 30 seconds at a time, stirring each time, until chocolate is melted. Set aside.

Quarter the remaining 20 mini peanut butter cups.

Sprinkle peanut butter cups over pie. Sprinkle chopped peanuts over pie, if using. Use a spoon to drizzle chocolate over pie (or transfer chocolate to a plastic sandwich bag and cut a very small hole in the corner, then drizzle over pie).

Refrigerate until ready to serve or serve immediately.

Healthy Banana "Ice Cream"

The idea is that you can freeze bananas, throw them in a food processor until the consistency is creamy, and it will be similar in texture to soft serve ice cream. The frozen banana will be crumbly at first but you have to keep blending it and it will become smooth - you do not have to add any liquid other that some vanilla extract which is optional.

BASE RECIPE:

2 ripe bananas

splash of vanilla extract

instructions:

Slice the bananas and freeze. Once frozen, add to a food processor (I used a Ninja) with the vanilla and blend until smooth.

CHOCOLATE:

add 1 to 2 Tbsp cocoa powder (you can use unsweetened) to the recipe above before blending.

PEANUT BUTTER:

Add 1 Tbsp peanut butter to the recipe above before blending.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER:

Add 1 Tbsp of peanut butter plus 1 to 2 Tbsp cocoa powder (you can used unsweeted) to the base recipe above before blending.

Peanut Sauce

adapted from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/the-best-thai-peanut-sauce/

1 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup coconut milk
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
2 tsp crushed garlic

note that I reduced the amount of peanut butter to 1 cup from 1.5 cups. I also added 1/4 cup of coconut milk because it was very thick. More probably could have been added. If using as a dipping sauce, maybe stick to 1/2 cup but could probably use up to 1 cup if using as a sauce for a stir fry.

Peanut Stew

adapted from : http://theveganstoner.blogspot.com/2011/07/peanut-stew.html#comment-form

1 small onion or 1/2 large onion
1 can crushed or stewed tomatoes
1/2 can garbanzo beans
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 potato
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp minced/crushed garlic

Peel and chop the potato and microwave for at least 3 minutes (4-5 probably better). Chop onion and cook in a medium sauce pan for a few minutes. Add crushed garlic and sautee for a minute or two longer. Add the tomatoes, peanut butter, and half can of garbanzo beans. Add potato and thyme. Bring to a boil then turn heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

verdict: pretty good. I only microwaved the potato for 3 minutes and ended up having to simmer for at least 25 minutes because it wasn't cooked. So I would microwave the potato longer next time.

note: I ended up buying stewed tomatoes, and had to add it after the onion but before everything else and mashed it since it had whole tomatoes. I would recommend getting crushed tomatoes.